Fishplate for railway rails



R. N. DITHNIER.

FISHPLATE FOR RAILWAY RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29,1921.

und? v sr REIMER N. DITHMER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IIsHPLATE FOR RAILWAY RAILS.

maaier.

Application filed August 29, 1921.

.To allan/rom t 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, REIMER N. DITHMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, count-y of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F ishplates for Railway Rails, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to fish plates for railway rails, which provide a rigid joint, and which will be unaffected by so-callcd creeping of such rails.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

'Ihe invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,`

Fig. l is a top plan view of adjoining ends of rails showing the fish plates applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention in operative position,

F ig. 3. is a bottom view of the plate showing the interlocking tongues and grooves,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line %4, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of one length of fish plate.

Railway rails are ordinarily joined by sh plates which are held in position by spikes driven into the ties. Plates of this type become loosened by creeping of the rails and fail to retain the railsv in proper position. My invention provides fish plates which are unaffected by creeping of the rails Vand which provide a rigid joint, thus obviating undesirable sinking of the rails at their adjoining ends.

The invention consists of rolled steel plates of the type shown inv Fig. 5, and as many similar plates may be formed in a continuous strip as desired, being then cut to any desired length. As shown, each of such plates has a base l, preferably having tongues 2 and slots 3, the base member being adapted to extend under the rails 4 a suitable distance. The wall of the plate rises outwardly, upwardly, and inwardly, as shown at 5, Fig. 4, forming an interior `groove 6, in which the flanges 7 of the rails Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 4922.

Serial No. 496,455.

4 are snugly engaged, such wall terminating in a flat portion 8 which lies against the webs 9 of the rails 4. A plate is provided on the opposite side of the rails which is identical to the plate described, except that the same is reversed in position so that the tongues 2 engage in the slots 3 of each of the plates so as to interlock when the plates are vslid longitudinally with respect to each, other. The bottoms of the plates have a thickened portion l0 adapted to engage a groove provided in the tie to prevent lateral shifting of the/plates. I preferably form the plates so that the base has the greatest thickness, the wall 5 being next in thickness, and the flat portion 8 having the least thickness.

Set screws l1 are tapped through the upper side of the portions 5 as shown, and engage the flanges 7 of the rails 4 to hold the same rigidly against vertical movement with respect to each other and lock said plates in position. The plates are provided with suitable bores corresponding to bores in the webs of the rails, through which bolts l2 are passed, such bolts being secured in position by nut-s 13.

The interlocking portions of the plates together with the grooves 6, set screws 11, and bolts 12 hold' the rail ends rigidly against vertical and longitudinal movement with respect to each other and at the same time the joint is free to move during creeping of the rails, being unaffected in efliciency thereby.

lVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a joint for rails comprising sections having slidably detachable interlocking bottoms and extending over and forming slots for flanges of said rails, said interlocking bottoms being thickened and together forming a rib adapted to prevent lateral'movenaine to this specification in the presence of ment of said joint; and means extending two subscribing Witnesses.v L into said slots for adjnstably engaging said Y, REIMER N DITHMER anges to prevent accidental detachment of said interlocking bottoms and to compensate Vitnesses: for play in said slots; i Y Y JOSHUA R. VH. Poms,

In testimony whereof I have signed my CLARENQEE. THREEDY. 

